


Counting by 5s

by AgentMint



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Backstory, Canon Compliant, Gen, Light Angst, Pre-Canon, Slice of Life, Vignette, as appropriate to all Caleb backstory fics, mentions of The Mighty Nein - Freeform, mentions of other important Caleb backstory people, spoilers for ep 49
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-02-09 11:50:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18637564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentMint/pseuds/AgentMint
Summary: A look at how the man we know as Caleb Widogast celebrated his birthday throughout the years





	Counting by 5s

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this at 2am last night and it just spilled out fully formed so I thought I might as well post it even though this is not anything I Ever Normally Do.

0  
  
Bren Aldric Ermendrud was welcomed into the world on a bright and sunny day, and the village augur proclaimed that the boy’s future was so blinding with greatness he must be given a name to fit his destiny. His mother laughed, his father beamed with pride, and the entire village rejoiced, celebrating a new birth, a new life, a new piece of their family to be embraced with loving arms.  
  
5  
  
Leofric lit the match with a flourish, and there were multiple loud gasps as the kids in the room all traced the movement of the flame with wide eyes. Bren, in particular, was silent as his father lit the candles on his birthday cake, his blue eyes reflecting the flickering light a bit more than should be natural. He was absolutely mesmerized, and leaned closer to get a better look; if only he could touch it to see if- “Bren! No! Sit back, the fire is dangerous.” He jerked his hand back, a bit guilty, but mostly confused, for how could something so beautiful be dangerous at the same time?  
  
10  
  
Bren blew out all the candles in one determined breath and sat there grinning as everyone cheered. “What’s your wish, Bren? What did you wish for?” asked one of his friends.  
  
“I wished that I can learn to do magic, like that mage who travelled through here last week,” replied Bren, still grinning. “He said that I could learn to be just like him if I study hard and read a lot of books, and I said that was easy because I love books, and he said that in several years if I studied hard enough, I might even get to go to a big school all for magic!”  
  
Then, another of his friends said something about the candles melting and Bren rushed to pull them out, already thinking about how delicious the cake would be. He missed the look his parents gave each other over the heads of the children, a look of embarrassment and apprehension, but a look tinged with resolve, for they would do anything in their power for their beautiful bright son, the light of their lives.  
  
15  
  
“Come on, Bren, it’s your birthday. You need to take the day off and have some fun.”  
  
“No, Mother, the exams are in two weeks and I still haven’t learned the somatic component for Minor Illusion yet. I know what it is, but I can’t get my fingers to do it properly. I’m pretty sure Astrid managed to cast it the other day! I can’t let her score higher me.”  
  
“Bren, you know that casting spells isn’t on the actual exam. You’ve already memorized all the information you actually need; I know you’ll do wonderfully. Besides, haven’t you already managed to cast both Firebolt and Dancing Lights more than once? Everyone has their own strengths, and maybe yours is bringing warmth and light into the world, like you have to me and your Father.”  
  
“Ugh, that was-” Bren made such a look of disgust on his face that his mother laughed, ruffling his hair fondly. Bren sighed. “I mean yeah, I already memorized the necessary stuff, but Astrid, Eodwulf, and I all did that _ages_ ago. They said they would have some bonus questions though, and I need to make sure I do better than Astrid and Eodwulf.” He looked a bit awkward and turned to look at his mother directly in the eyes. “I know we can’t afford to send me if I don’t get the scholarship, and you know they only give those to the best of the best. I need to be that. I need to be the best.”  
  
His mother’s eyes were the same shade of blue as his own, and he saw the sadness in them she tried to hide with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about that, dear. If they don’t give you a scholarship, it will be difficult, but we’ll still make sure you go. You’re one of the most naturally gifted trainees the Arcanist Sieglinde had ever met, remember? We wouldn’t let something as mundane as money get in the way of you developing your potential. You’ll more than pay it back when you become the greatest Arcanist in the Empire!”  
  
Bren laughed softly at his mother’s teasing, but he wasn’t convinced. “Didn’t she say the same about both Astrid and Eodwulf?”  
  
“Well, then the three of you can become the three greatest Arcanists in the Empire, and I will be proud to say I fed them all in my kitchen in wee little Blumenthal back when they were still learning what a semantic component is.”  
  
“Not semantic, som- oh. Haha.”  
  
“Now I know I can’t control what you do, but please at the very least go pick out something nice for yourself from Wanda’s, and make sure you’re back in time for dinner. I’ll cook your favourite meal, and your Father has a surprise planned for after.”  
  
Bren sighed again. “Yes, Mother. Thank you.” He paused, then reached out for a hug. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too, my brilliant little spark of joy.”  
  
20  
  
“Good evening, Bren. It’s your birthday today, so we have something special for you, see? A cute little cupcake, now isn’t that nice. Look, there’s even a pretty candle, but not lit, of course, because- uh- yeah, well, I’ll leave you to your dinner then. Oh, and Master Ikithon said he might pay you a visit next week, see how you’re doing. Wouldn’t that be great? Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow; take care, Bren!”  
  
25  
  
Fire, light, everywhere, burning, burning, flashing in his eyes, no matter if they were open or closed, it didn’t matter, just burning, only burning, everywhere, he couldn’t get away from the fire, sometimes artificial and bright, other times a raging inferno, but always a constant, always glaring, glaring, looking into his mind, burning his insides. It was impossible to know the time, impossible to know the day. He didn’t know, but he didn’t care. Didn’t care about anything except trying to rid himself of the burning.  
  
30  
  
Today he was Finn Rosenblatt, a simple beggar.  
  
Today he had had a good day, earning enough for a warm meal and maybe even a bed if he can find a bunkhouse in town. He might even buy the incense he had been saving up for and finally try to cast Find Familiar. He’s fairly certain he remembers the ritual correctly, and fairly certain he’s strong enough now for that much magic, and it’ll be nice to get confirmation one way or the other. Plus, if it does work, having a cat to keep him company would be absolutely amazing. Today, he thought wryly to himself, was his birthday, and doesn’t he deserve to treat himself a bit on his birthday?  
  
Today he was Finn Rosenblatt, a simple beggar, but tomorrow he might be Dieter Hacke, a simple beggar with a magic cat, and that means things might be getting slightly better, slightly.  
  
35  
  
Caleb Widogast wakes up on his 35th birthday to a bright and sunny day, and he smiles. He does not know what his future holds, nor does he know whether he believes in destiny, but he does believe in greatness, and he knows it’s saturated in the people who surround him. Jester and Fjord laugh, Nott and Caduceus beam with pride, and Beau and Yasha rejoice, celebrating a familiar friend, a familiar life, a familiar piece of their family that they embrace with loving arms.


End file.
